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klafterreith
Joined: 25 Nov 2005
Posts: 429
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 Posted: Mon May 18, 2009 6:34 am Post subject: will/would |
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A woman who was circumcised some years ago says:
At that time my parents believed that a baby will die if it contacts its mother`s clitoris.
Is the the `will die �okay? Must it be `would die .... if it contacted...�
Her parents are probably still alive and believe that a baby will die if.....
Am I right? |
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dragn
Joined: 17 Feb 2009
Posts: 450
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| Posted: Wed May 20, 2009 8:45 am Post subject: |
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At that time my parents believed that a baby will die if it contacts its mother`s clitoris.
Is the the `will die �okay? Must it be `would die .... if it contacted...� |
Using would or will here is acceptable. You don't have to use the past tense form would just because of past tense believed, especially if there is a sense of permanence about what is believed. Here, it really doesn't matter if the parents are still alive and still believe that now; they believed it absolutely and unquestioningly at that time.
Greg |
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